Blades in the Dark: Gangs of Duskovol IC thread

[dojango]

Another lovely evening in Duskovol. The messenger had promised a job, with good pay. You meet the contact in a private booth at the back of the public house. He's done his best to conceal his features beneath a hood. As each of you arrives, he nods in a friendly greeting, and pours you a glass of cheap fungal beer. Once everyone has arrived, he says, "I represent some concerned parties on a delicate matter. I need some reliable sorts to help me out. Short notice. You hear about the gang war? The Blood Walkers thought to make a play for the big time, and pissed off everyone. They're done for. Spirit Wardens been working overtime to clean up. Phineas Sharp, the bossman, and a few of his remaining loyalists have hidden in their secret lair. My informant tells me that the Bluecoats are going to raid it at dawn, haul everyone off to Ironhook. Phineas has a satchel with him. I need you to recover the satchel. Unopened, unread. It would be... embarrassing... if the Inspectors find it during the raid."


Phineas and his men, in happier times.

"I'm sure you have some questions. My informant thinks Phineas has eight thugs with him. We don't think they're well armed, knives and clubs mostly. The satchel is eelskin, with the initials "P.S." embossed on it. He was spotted carrying it when he went inside, he thinks it will give him leverage if he's captured, so he probably keeps it near him. Can't be certain, though." The contact slides a scrap of paper with the location of the hideout on it. "And, most importantly, your pay. [6 COIN] for the satchel and its contents. If you can pilfer anything else from there, it's all yours. Just get that satchel. Return here when it is done. Dawn is in 10 hours, you need to be out of there before the Bluecoats come."

Spoiler: Delilah

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The note you received says, "D- I need your help. Keep it quiet. Keep them honest. Meet me. -D. Despite his hood and his unshaven face, you recognize Darmot. However, despite your history, he doesn't acknowledge you in any special way when you arrive.

[n0ble]

"Well then."

To put it simply, the place was no Bowmore Manner. For one thing there was rarely a layer of soot on the Manner's perimeter. For another there were (typically) substantially less drunken wastes of potential lounging about the interior. Willix then picked his way through the patrons of the public house, trying not to let his gorge rise at the various smells and sensations. He would of thought that working with dirt and plants would have prepared someone for the commoner stink. Evidently he’d need to create some or sort of mini receptacle containing his favorite flower petals. Something with which to expunge the scent of lower orders from his nostrils. He made a note to avoid these kinds of places in the future unless absolutely necessary, and then he ordered a pint of Blue Mushroom cider. It was the most appetizing-sounding thing they had on the…well calling the chalkboard above the bottles a menu was generous but the cider didn’t taste like it contained a disease. Willix thanked the Emperor for the small miracle then went into the back.

He’d mostly chosen clothing with an eye towards practicality first and style second. Or maybe even third, behind functionality in second. As such, Willix had swathed himself in a brown-black goat leathers-jacket, black slacks and a white work-shirt. The only other real concession to this particular environment was a modest working class cap. It had helped in smoothing his greasy hair down. As he clattered through the door to the backroom, Willix noticed that his shirt hadn’t made the trip over unscathed: the Blue Mushroom cider had had its revenge on his shirt collar. He sighed, more to himself than anyone else. That particular shade of blue would be hard to get out. Almost as hard as the blood from his time with the rose. So much for making a good first impression. Though, he had to admit, perhaps it would help make him seem more genuine. Maybe he’d feel a bit better with some of the cider in him and not on him? Willix immediately doubted it. Drinking some of the cobalt blue liquid was sure to give him the runs. He’d hold onto it then, if only just for show.

After situating himself in the comfiest looking chair, Willix oriented his gaze so that it looked slightly past the man who’d brought them together. He listened intently, noting any significant details pertaining to payoff from the job. And danger, though he didn’t need to get involved with a raid on the Blood Walkers to know about that. Living in Duskwall was enough. Inky Depths, living in Six Towers was enough to know about danger. He felt a pang of nausea when the man mentioned eight individuals. That was a rather large sum of bodies in the way. He recalculated the blast radius of his grenade and the nausea subsided a touch. He then placed all Eight before him in the Ordering within the blast radius of the grenade and his nausea vanished as imaginary shrapnel took off the Second’s jawbone. Willix blinked slowly and ended the fantasy. Detonating this Phineas Sharp mongoloid and his shabby examples of humanity had suddenly struck him as worth doing, if only for the extra research funding. Willix helped himself to the fungal beer, finding it’s scent much more appealing than that of the Blue Mushroom. He considered mixing the two in order to synthezise a better taste, but ultimately banished the thought as it wasn’t terribly worth the energy he was going to put into the act.

Willix turned his mind away from drink and to the matter of acquiring sensitive material. Typically, the Severosi Planes Cat utilized a hide that changed pigments in order to hide from prey until it was close enough to strike. Not that such a stratagem had saved it from extinction, mind you, but Willix thought it appropriate given the circumstances. “Where is the lair? I would propose we enter via infiltration until we are discovered.” At which point some of the seated individuals more inclined to violence could take over.

Spoiler: OOC

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Advocating for Stealth as the plan detail. Though I could also see Transport being fun as well.

[3SecondCultist]

Striding into the public house, Jack Scrimshaw makes quite the sight. The solicitor is clad in a neat, well-tailored grey longcoat over an ironed white shirt and vest, as well as pants of the same material. His shoes are polished and well-kept, even if they are not entirely untouched by Duskwall's grime. He wears a pair of black leather gloves on his hands, and keeps a steel pocket watch at his waist. He also carries a smooth cane of what appears to be black wood, with a carved handle. All accoutrements of his trade, elegant without being too ostentatious. Even his white hair and beard are uniformly clipped and trimmed, styled but not overly so. Stopping in the midst of the room, Jack does his best to use the cane to navigate. It taps the pub's floors, the edges of tables, and the boots of those standing nearby as he fumbles towards the back of the room. Along the way, he makes sure to apologize profusely to those he might bump into.

"My apologies," Jack speaks at last to those assembled as he finally his way into the right booth. He flashes his white teeth as he holds his hand out for somebody - anybody - to shake it, and stares into the middle distance. Anyone looking can see that the man's eyes are a pure white, without any sort of pupil or iris. Unlike other blind men, there is absolutely no color there: it is the mark of one from Tycheros. A Stranger. If that weren't obvious enough, the man's accent is not one native to Akoros. Jack speaks with a light musicality, and an affectation that is hard to place exactly. "One might think that with the sun burned out, one has less need to see. But such is not the case. Allow me to introduce myself: my name is Jack Scrimshaw, of Rackham and Carrolby. Pleased to make your acquaintance."

Listening to this contact outline the job ahead of them, Jack slowly nods his head. A faint twitching of his lips is the only change in his expression this time, but he allows the others to witness a sense anticipation at the prospect of the job.

"You speak wisely, friend," the slide says to the other man who has spoken up. "It sounds like Mr. Sharp will be preparing for a fight, if he has not done so already. If we can find a way to slip inside undetected, it will make retrieval of the package that much simpler. Between Mr. Sharp and his eight comrades, we might find that sneaking in and out without being detected... challenging. That said, I trust that our mutual friend here would not have brought together a motley crew such as ourselves together if he did not trust that we had the matter squarely in hand."

"Sir," Jack suddenly turns back to the man who planned the job, the gaze of his white eyes now unmistakably and improbably precise for somebody who is apparently without sight. "Would you perchance be able to provide us with any more details as to this secret lair that the Blood Walkers are hiding out in? You strike me as the man who likes to be well-informed, and any intelligence we can gather here will increase our odds of success commensurately."

[Elbeyon]

A cold, biting gust enters through the door alongside the tall Locke. A greatcoat and similar warm gear wraps up most of her skin except a small part of her face not covered by a scarf or hat and hood. Unceremoniously, she searches out her private booth and heads straight there. The clothes leave her seemingly unencumbered, and her walk is straightforward and efficient. If people are that interested in her business, she'll show them what happens to the curious sort in Duskwall. She takes a seat when the host gives her a knowing nod. The drink is appreciated. She pulls down her scarf, the tail end of some nautical beast is tattooed on her face, and takes a thirsty gulp.

During introductions she calls herself "Locke." She doesn't seem interested in shaking Mr. Scrimshaw's hand or much for conversation.

When the job is laid out, she gives the job a good thinking. "When your hunting beast or animal, if you corner them, they fight. Creatures don't like to be cornered. Give them a way out, and they'll take it. We offer them a boat ride and a way out, pack up their stuff, and leave them to their unlucky fate."

Spoiler: OoC

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I'd like to do a deception plan.

[Ramsus]

Kione comes in a bit late, having never been to this particular establishment before and thus having to spend the time finding it in addition to the journey to get there.
If she feels the cold, she doesn't seem to notice it. Though she is wearing a warm enough looking outfit. You might think someone wearing an outfit made of so much black would be hard to see or at least blend into the shadows and shadowy figures of Duskovol, but the style and presence of the wearer stand out, at least a bit, all the same. As she walks in she makes no effort to avoid others, simply gently but firmly pushing them aside with confidence they don't want to make an issue of it. While she notices the annoyed glances and leers she gets, she doesn't seem to care. She might normally be amused or take the time to glare someone down, but she's here for business so she just ignores them. She does as well notice with some pleasure that more than a few cautious sorts of people seem to read her right and avoid eye contact.

At Jack's introduction she shakes his hand with a strong and firm handshake. Probably a bit too hard of a grip as if she's used to handshakes being a sort of contest as much as a greeting. Though she doesn't do it strong enough to be the kind of grip that's bordering on a pain endurance test. As she shakes his hand, she gives Jack a toothy, somewhat predatory, grin and replies with the noticeable accent of one from the Dagger Islands*, "Pleasure ta meet ya Jack. For now, call me Pepper."
*Which I'm imagining sounding kind of like an Australian accent. (Since I don't know what a tropical accent would sound like without a spanish influence. And it's a fun accent.)

Rather than pile on more questions, Kione just looks at the address on the scrap of paper. Her immediate thoughts going to what kind of water access and vantage points are available there.

After Locke speaks she says, "I don't think we have enough room in a boat for all them an' us on the boat, yah? Besides the Bluecoats'd just keep lookin for them if we absconded with them don't ya think? Better leave em there. As bodies should be fine if it comes to it. No skin off my nose if we gotta."
There's a definite look in her eyes as if she hopes there's an excuse to shoot some of them in fact. "Goin' in and out quick and quiet like seems best to me."

Spoiler

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Also voting for Stealth plan. Maybe a detail about some advantageous position for steathy water entry or a good sniping vantage?

[dojango]

The Contact says, "I haven't seen the hideout myself. Never been to that part of Silkshore; it's not the interesting part. It's just a boathouse with a warehouse attached. That part of the Silkshore has a bunch of them in a row. Don't know anything about what's inside of it. Could be a boat there, or maybe not? I don't know." When he hears Locke talking about offering them passage, he gets agitated. "You do know why they're called the Blood Walkers? Phineas always boasted that wherever he walks, he leaves a trail of blood behind him. He made a big power play, started breaking all the rules, killing civilians. We... they... told the other gangs they got to take care of it or else. Bunch of them raided the Walker's headquarters. Dozens killed. Bluecoats swept in after and arrested the survivors. Phineas was in the thick of it but he and some others escaped somehow. We tracked him to that warehouse. He probably thinks he's safe, but he ain't. Bluecoats are going to raid at dawn, and if he isn't there, they'll be spitting mad. He ain't much for surrendering or talking. If you do get him to surrender to you or something, fine. I need that satchel. But once you got it, tell me where he ends up, so we can be sure he gets what's coming to him."

Spoiler: ooc

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When he says 'boathouse', you picture it in your mind's eye: A long structure, big doors onto the street so cargo can be brought in and out the front. Probably a normal door as well. On the water side there's a big sliding door that is opened from the inside. Has to be pulled up, since there isn't room for it to go to the side, and they can't swing out because of the water pressure. Doesn't go all the way down since they have to let water in and out, but swimming underneath would be tricky. But possible for a lightly encumbered scoundrel. There are probably windows or skylights to let light and fresh air in, but you can't be sure where without actually visiting.

[3SecondCultist]

Jack situates himself directly across the booth from the woman from the Dagger Isles as she sits. For what reason exactly, it is hard to say - perhaps he enjoys the sound of her accent, or he detests her breath - but his features aren't telling. Either way, he almost misses the contact describe the last warehouse of the Blood Walkers in detail, so he endeavors to make as little noise as possible. The description is evocative enough, and the others see the bearded man stroking his beard in the very picture of rational thought.

"Well then, it seems as though there is more than one avenue available to us. The first is stealth and skullduggery of the lowest order: sneaking in, either through a marine entrance or through the use of a distraction to get inside, steal the satchel, and get out. If any of you have a water craft that might be requisitioned for a quick getaway, it would be of great use." Jack purses his lips. "I suppose I could try to have a word with these gentlemen, if only to serve to delay their attentions..."

"The other option - and I must say that I mislike it, for it is about as unsubtle as a Bluecoat patrol - would be to go in guns blazing, as it were. Actually killing the Blood Walkers might be more trouble than it is worth, especially with the Spirit Wardens watching so closely for ghosts. I don't doubt that you can all handle yourselves in a fight, and yet it would be more prudent to be invisible. I therefore maintain that sneaking in and out would be our best bet." He looks around at the other people sitting at the table, as though to gauge their reactions.

Spoiler: OOC

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I don't know if we can combine plans, but as n0ble said, Stealth / Transport is probably the best. I would lean more towards Stealth on the way in and Transport on the way out, if that's possible. If not, I'll go for the former (since it's more important for setting up the Engagement Roll).

[Elbeyon]

Locke keeps a healthily drinking interest in her beer and offers a clarification. "I never said anything about taking the Bloods anywhere. We load and shove off without them or as few of them as possible."

"I'm not too interested in repeating the Blood Walker's mistakes. The dead hold grudges and talk, some of them. The last thing I want is the Bluecoats and Spirit Wardens after me."

"We can sneak in, knock a couple out if needed, grab things, and leave. It's simple, and simple works. If Jack wants to play the part of chum, that's fine by me. Just don't cause us too much trouble by raising their willies."

Spoiler: OoC

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It looks like we've settled on Stealth.

I don't think we have to call a plan a transport plan just because it involves a vehicle. The heart of our plan is to "trespass unseen."

The point of infiltration: I like the idea of using the roof. It seems like it gives us the most options on how to execute the theft.

[Ramsus]

Pepper considers for a moment and asks, "Do ya figure they've got a boat in there? It would be pretty slick if we could load up all their treasure while there and just sail away with it. Even if they noticed at that point, what are they going to do? Try and chase us downriver on foot?"

Spoiler

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Roof sounds great. Even if just for infiltration. It's also a good vantage point for Pepper in case shooting is a thing that needs to occur.
I do also like the idea of leaving via the water entrance, since it seems like it would be hard to carry valuables all the way back up to the roof. Though I suppose that depends how heavy they are.

If for some reason we needed a distraction on the inside we could have Salt slip in and drag some goon down into the water, but I'm not sure exactly how that would benefit us since it seems like attention on the wrong side of the building than we'd want.

[Elbeyon]

The women starts chugging her mush brew. Her chin higher up, the tattoo on her face and neck is definitely a shark. Upon finishing, she says, "Why don't we go find out?"

Spoiler: OoC

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So, we need a gather information? A Survey seems like the obvious answer to scout out the place.

There are lots of other ways we could get additional information besides just the entry point. I might want to do an attune gather information check.

Reminder! Assist is really nice! It's 1 stress to add another dice to another person's roll while it's 2 stress to help yourself. If no one wants to assist the survey, Locke will help.

[n0ble]

Willix kept the same far away look of boredom on his face as the Lowborns talked. At the same time, he tried to ignore the stigmata on the man’s eyes. There had always been some debate amongst the upper class about the origin of the term “Stranger“. The Second had always thought it was because you could never really know them. Eight said it was because you the nation was Stranger to Duskwall. Willix had always thought it was a term of comparison. Stranger than everyone else. Except maybe the bronzed woman. Was that a Dagger Islander accent she was sporting? It seemed this Phineas-moron had a boathouse. A swarthy gun-woman was a logical fit. “Hrm.” Willix rolled his head in a wide circle till he was staring at the ceiling. His fingers remained steepled on the table.

He took a moment to wonder. At a table with a Stranger and a Dagger Islander. Willix tried to remember if the Help at the Bowmore estate consisted or either nationality and found that he couldn’t. Perhaps he’d spent too much time away, if such a thing were possible. Still, it was better than having to share breathing space with a Skov. Dagger Islanders and Tycherosi had the sense to bathe. At least it seemed these two did. Willix had yet to meet a Skov that didn’t smell like eel vomit. No wonder they lost the war. How can they be expected to fight when the common Sovlander can’t even bathe themselves properly. Bloody wonder the war went on as long as it did, all things considered. He was thankful for none present, and had to remind himself of the advantages that came with working in an organization.

“Hm. Yes. Attacking from a height makes sense. Take the top roof, work our way down etcetera, etcetera.” It was much like the reverse of a food chain, really. He upended the contents of the blue mushroom cider into his other stein and took a drink from it that was at odds with his sinewy frame. Willix finished off the pint-mix with a smack of his lips. A bit too acidic for his tastes, but it had merit. Willix returned to looking slightly past the contact. “Mm. Yes shall we?”

Spoiler: OOC

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Rooftop infiltration plan is good with me!

[spinningdice]

Lon sits quietly listening, the dirty little urchin acts more like part of the furniture than part of the team, 'he' nods at the contact to acknowledge the details and listens to the others' plan.

Spoiler: OOC

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A bit late to the party, so not sure what to add at the this point, stealth seems good, rooftops seem good. If Jack persists in wanting to talk as a distraction Lila will voice an opinion that it's better they don't see our faces, if we can help it.

[3SecondCultist]

Jack’s smile has only grown as the accord between the group members becomes more evident. Starting and finishing his mushroom ale in a single movement with no motion wasted, the man with the white hair daps his lips with the nearest napkin.

"Well then, it would seem as though we have an accord! Excellent. I have a friend who might well have... shall we say pertinent information on the Blood Walkers beyond what our esteemed client here has deigned to share." Inclining his head towards the contact, Jack rises from the booth. "Once I get in touch with them, I will call on all of you so that we may finalize preparations. They should be able to give me an optimal time to strike the warehouse, at the very least."

[dojango]

It's a little bit after midnight. The crew (minus Jack) arrives first, and carefully scouts out the area. This part of Silkshore is out of the red-light district, although you passed through it on the way here. The street is fairly broad, with two electroplasm lights weakly dispelling the gloom. On one side of the street area there are a few rickety tenements, while on the other, there are four boathouses crammed together, with your target being the second one on the left. You see two guards leaning against the main door, passing a bottle back and forth. One of the guards has his arm in a sling. A little while later, Jack arrives, with the prostitute Nyryx on his arm. She says she will wait a few minutes and then distract the guards.

The crew slips into a dark alleyway. On one side is the boathouse, on the other a tiny canal. There is a small stair leading up to a second floor balcony, from there is it a quick scramble up to the roof. You cross the roof of the first boathouse, over to the second. As you expected, there is a sky light there, to let in fresh air and the meager light of day. It's opened from the inside, but a quick wire through the window frame lets you unlatch it and open it up. The burglary kit contains a "thieves' lantern", which you light and carefully shine into the darkness. It appears to be some sort of attic storeroom, filled with spars, barrels, piled sailcloth and other boat-supplies. You also see a ladder in the corner, leading down to the main floor. The attic only goes about halfway down the building; there is a railing and on the other side, empty space. There is a block & tackle arrangement hanging from the ceiling, and below you, you see a slipway with a boat on it. So far, you haven't heard any sounds, except the soft slap of water against a wooden hull.

[Elbeyon]

Locke is at the site as expected. She didn't get cold feet at the last minute, so that's something. She takes her gloves off and breathes on her hands in an attempt to warm them. Her hands rub together. Tonight seems usually cold. The draft off the pitch black water is certainly aiding this morning's weather. The gulf water tempts her to remember warmer different times, but she fights the urge to lose herself in thought. As the crew meets up she puts her gloves back on in preparation of the score.

Jack seems to know some interesting people. The unsaid dialogue between Jack and Nyryx is the most gripping thing about the duo. A lady of the night isn't a bad addition to the crew. She might have some of that warmth the crew seems to be missing, at least Pepper seemed to have some spirit in her. So, the sex worker is playing distraction, eh? A risky job. It's too late to discuss her "payment" here and now. That's how somebody ends up dead. It's an issue she can deal with later.

When things start, Locke takes up the rear. She keeps an eye out as the group goes up the stairs, the sea barely catching her eye now. A quick step over to the second boathouse means they are on top of their target. Wick is picking the lock? Things go smoothly. Her faith in the puffer was as low as it could go, but she is pleasantly surprised. He might have his uses after all. She follows the group through the skylight and starts getting the most basic grasp on the situation.

Spoiler: OoC

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A little bit of fluff.

[3SecondCultist]

After saying goodbye to Nyryx with a blown kiss, Jack Scrimshaw disappears into the darkness. The distinct figure that he casts - the long coat, the white hair and beard, the cane - is gone entirely. The man who takes his place is not quite as tall, with a slimmer build. He wears dark cloth and leathers, a mixture of greys and dark blues meant to blend into the Silkshore night streets. Where there were boots, now he wears padded foot-soles for quiet movement. A black leather scabbard is strapped across his back and chest, and a cloth mask covers the majority of his head, leaving only his jawline uncovered. Strangest of all, this stranger lacks a beard entirely, eschewing white hair in favor of a bit of dark stubble.

"Hey, Coil reporting in," the newcomer says in a flawless lowborn Akorosi accent to the assembled group of scoundrels as he takes his place among their number. "We gonna do this thing, or what?"

The skylight entrance on the roof is exactly where the contact said it would be. With the light from the thieves' lantern, getting around is easy enough. Creeping down into the boathouse, Coil peers over and down at the boat. Pointing out the vehicle silently to the others, he moves along the railing with next to no noise. Tossing the rope down to the lower level, the man in grey begins to shimmy down with expert precision, keeping an eye out for any sign of unwanted attention. Alighting on the floor of the boathouse, he moves to cover the others as they follow him, pointing sharply at Wick's hand placement when the highborn nearly loses his grip and falls. Coil shakes his head slightly before moving on.

Once everyone else is down, Coil moves towards the boat, untying most of the lines that keep the vessel in place as per the agreed plan. Next up is the wooden blocks, but he doesn’t have any good tools to get rid of those without making at least some noise. The others can keep a look out for guards and start to look for the satchel.

Spoiler: OOC

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So I'm going to cross off the 'Fine Disguise Kit' and 'A Blade or Two' from Jack's Load, to turn into Coil. I'm using this because it's a very thorough transformation, and I need to justify it somehow. Hopefully when I pick up the Cloak and Dagger ability I won't need to use it every time, but this makes for a fun little scene.

Also, I'll note the 1 Stress from the group Prowl on Jack's sheet in the OOC.

[Elbeyon]

The disguise. The accent. Coil has the skills of a con man and thief. She better keep an eye on him to make sure he isn't left alone with something that belongs to her. He was too well prepared in too short notice for his ensemble to be chance. Oh, he was beyond the abilities of a common, thug-brained mugger. The Coil in front of her was a better man than the boot licker she met earlier. She'll have to see what he can do.

Up in the attic, the temptation to crack open the treasure trove of barrels was there for sure, but lady luck hasn't smiled upon her yet. She had other things to do. She checks out the boat below and agrees that they should steal it in a quick, quiet discussion. The railing isn't too dissimilar from walking a ship's mast. The sounds of the water upon the boat below brought back little fragmented memories of her work upon a boat without any context. The labor burned into her to be remembered in times of need. She takes the rope down.

Coil was already untying the boat. She'd give any crew heading their way pointed corrections, tell them what to do. Even work with them if they don't seem completely lost around a boat.

Spoiler: OoC

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If the boat has a clock, Locke will be there to help the team. I'll put my stress on the line for this one!

[Ramsus]

Pepper elects to take the rearguard, making sure to close the skylight behind them. But not lock it.
As Locke passes she whispers, "Wasn't his voice different before?"

After they slink onto the boat, she goes around double checking everything Coil does since she knows she knows boats and deeply distrusts the amount of nautical knowledge any of these imperials might have. If Coil happens to notice she's doing this she gives him a smile. It's super patronizing though.

[n0ble]

He’d not thought that someone of Mr. Scrimshaw’s apparent character would have associated with whores. Then again, he supposed it was little different from Willix’s pursuit of serving girls. Or with such a penchant for theatricalities. As Wilix worked the wire in, his mind went back to a particularly statuesque Iruvian waitress at the Golden Plumb. She’d had nice legs. Soft hands as well. “Mm.” Thoughts of past memories put a content smile on Wick’s face as the wire snagged and the window came open for them.

It was gone by the time he entered the attic area. All the cast-off barrels and sails looked like useful little eyesores if they needed to fix things. But the place had a smell about it that he disliked. Something would have to be done about any of it that lingered. He honestly was even sure if being on a boat would agree with him more, but that was scant disadvantage compared to what a nautical transport offered as a lair. For one, it was a means of escape in and of itself.

Willix got closer to the ladder, then noticed that Scrimshaw’s dramatic alias was taking everyone over the railing, so he followed suit. After near slipping on the way, Wick rolled his eyes at the man’s shaking head, then held up the lantern with the hand not on the rope. Perhaps someone else could hold it next time. Willix slithered down the rope nonetheless and unbuttoned his eel-skin jacket. Easier to reach alchemies that way.

Once on the floor he made his way over to the slipway. Everyone else seemed more concerned with the ship itself, not the thing they were trying to get it away from. Willix sighed to himself and approached the slipway. He let his gloved hands flex, then relax before they went into his jacket to retrieve some tinkering tools essential to the task. A gift, from the First. He tried not to get too close or under the vessel. He needed his hands for more than just alchemy, after all. Wick sighed again as the water's salt-smell hit his nose, then got to work with some help from Locke.

Spoiler: OOC

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I'm going to try and Tinker with the slipway in an effort to set up someone's attempt at releasing the boat. Marking off fine tinkering too

Tinker: (3d6)[6][5][1](12)
Edit: Whew!
Locks got the assist for that 3rd dice (and one stress to her)

Spoiler: Statistics

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Playbook: [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]

Insight: [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]
Hunt: 0/4
Study: 2/4
Survey: 0/4
Tinker: 2/4

Prowess: [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]
Finesse: 1/4
Prowl: 0/4
Skirmish: 0/4
Wreck: 2/4

Resolve: [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]
Attune: 0/4
Command: 0/4
Consort: 1/4
Sway: 0/4

Coin: 0/4
Lifestyle: 0/4
Stash: 0/10

Spoiler: Vitals

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Vitals

Load: Medium (2/5)

Stress: [✖] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]
Trauma: [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]
Harm
[Lvl. 3]
[Lvl. 2] [Lvl. 2]
[Lvl. 1] [Lvl. 1]
Healing: 0/4
Armor: Armor [ ] Heavy [ ] Special [ ]

Spoiler: Items

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Items
Fine Tinkering Tools [✖]
Fine Wrecking Tools [ ]-[ ]
Blowgun Dart & Syringes [ ]
Bandolier [ ] ( [ ]-[ ]-[ ] )
- Alcahest

- Binding Oil
- Bloodthorn
- Drift Oil

- Drown Powder
- Eyeblind Poison
- Fire Oil

- Grenade
- Quicksilver
- Skullfire Poison
- Smoke Bomb
- Spark (drug)
- Standstill Poison
- Trance Powder
Bandolier [ ] ( [ ]-[ ]-[ ] )
- Alcahest

- Binding Oil
- Bloodthorn
- Drift Oil
- Drown Powder
- Eyeblind Poison
- Fire Oil

- Grenade
- Quicksilver
- Skullfire Poison
- Smoke Bomb
- Spark (drug)
- Standstill Poison
- Trance Powder
Gadgets [ ] [ ] [ ]
Load: Light 3 [ ] Normal 5 [ ] Heavy 6 [ ]
A Blade or Two [ ]
Throwing Knives [ ]
A Pistol [ ] A 2nd Pistol [ ]
A Large Weapon [ ]-[ ]
An Unusual Weapon [ ]
Armor [ ]-[ ] +Heavy [ ]-[ ]-[ ]
Burglary Gear [✖]
Climbing Gear [ ]-[ ]
Arcane Implements [ ]
Documents [ ]
Subterfuge Supplies [ ]
Demolition Tools [ ]-[ ]
Tinkering Tools [ ]
Lantern [ ]

[Elbeyon]

Pepper elects to take the rearguard, making sure to close the skylight behind them. But not lock it.
As Locke passes she whispers, "Wasn't his voice different before?"

Her shrugs before the final step down. The black morning makes the action nearing unnoticeable. Locke whispers, "It's an improvement. I don't want to punch him in the face as much." A half smile reflecting some whites shows she is happy with herself.

[spinningdice]

Lon simply admires Jack's skill at changing, sure she switched between Lon and Delilah, but they were both just shades of the same person.

Jack and Coil were unrecognisable as the same person. Perhaps she could learn something from him.

Anyway, time to go. Lon slips down the rope and moves to help untie the rope, she knew little of boats and ships, but she could untie knots well enough.

[Ramsus]

Locke whispers, "It's an improvement. I don't want to punch him in the face as much." A half smile reflecting some whites shows she is happy with herself.

At this Pepper has to clamp a hand over her mouth from laughing aloud.

---

Since it seems the others have a good handle on the boat, Pepper goes to check the cabin and cargo hold to see if anything or anyone occupies them. Afterall, it wouldn't do to pile in more treasure than they could sail away with nor any of the original crew that might not appreciate them taking off in their boat.
Not that in her experience she's ever found anyone to appreciate her crew taking their belongings. Except that one time. But she doesn't like to dwell too much on that.

[dojango]

Wick and Locke go over the boat, quickly casting off the lines holding the boat. The last line, the big hawser connected to the capstan, is now the only thing holding the ship from sliding down the slipway and into the closed door. Wick checks over the boat; oiling hinges and the checking lines. The boat's cabin is small and cozy; there is the ship's wheel and small couch on top, and then belowdecks there are a few hammocks slung from hooks. Fortunately, they are unoccupied. The boat doesn't seem to have been used in some time, some of the controls are covered in dust. Locke checks the sails and the rigging, tightening slack ropes and making sure the sail is ready to be raised. Finally, Wick turns his attention to the door controls. Normally, someone would pull down on the rope attached to the pulley, raising the door up, and then make the rope fast to a hoop anchored in the floor. Of course, in the Bowmore boathouses, all this is handled by electroplasmic energy, instead of crude muscle power, but with the right tools and parts lying around, perhaps something can be done to raise the door without someone staying off the boat...

[Ramsus]

Satisfied that the boat is free of threats and unsatisfied that it's also free of valuables, Pepper almost hastily decides to go look for the missing goods herself. But remembers that her role here is more of a lookout. Or at least that's what she told the others so things might get fouled up if she doesn't perform her role.

So she sneaks away from the boat and slowly and carefully moves about to search out where the members of the Blood Walkers are and what they're up to. Figuring out any patrol routes would be a bonus, but it's probably too dark to get that much detail. As is her habit, she makes her way to high spots when available and otherwise tries to have some kind of cover to hide behind in case someone comes out from around a corner and might be facing her way.

While she's sneaking about she recalls a few times she did similar things about vessels, though she was usually looking for their crew to kill or capture, not avoid like she is now. She's not sure how she feels about that. Just that bloodlust or no, she doesn't know of the rest of her crew's fighting skills so it's not a very good idea to risk it right now. Not that she isn't betting on there being a fifty/fifty chance this winds up turning into a red waters situation anyway.

Spoiler

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So Survey mainly. Prowl and Hunt might apply too, but all are at 2 so... *shrug*
(2d6)[4][5](9)

[n0ble]

The work had gone well, all things considered. It had afforded him a few moments to search for some sort of device to open the door. “Hrm.” Well…it was no Bowmore pleasure cruiser. Perhaps it could be with a bed or two. Wick scratched at his chin while thinking on how to rig the door to open. He blinked slowly behind his glasses, realized he was staring into a foreground that Locke had walked into, then turned his face to the door. There were more important things to look at then neck tattoos presently. For example: the harbor door controls.

In the end, it came down to a simple matter of rigging the door controls so that the corresponding lever was pulled when the boat dropped. Surprisingly simple. And practical to boot. With some assistance from Locke they were able to get the block and tackle down in good order. From there it was an easy matter to have Locke tie the knots at precisely where Willix pointed. He made sure she was using ones that would slip away when pulled enough before giving her a thumbs up to singal they were finished.

[dojango]

Pepper climbs out of the boat and heads back into the warehouse. She can see that part of the warehouse has been walled off, to make a small room. She can't really see where the door is, but there must be one. Also, there is a small stove, glowing red. It provides some faint light. Nearby the stove, she can see several dark lumps on the floor. She hears soft breathing and the occasional snore coming from there. As she gets closer there is a faint sound of a clink her foot hits an empty bottle on the floor. It rolls for a few feet. The snoring stops for a moment and then starts again. Looking for a quick hiding place, Pepper can see some dark piles closer to the warehouse door. She steals behind them. There are two rows of crates, stacked two high. As she makes her way to the far end, to her surprise, she can see a figure slumped over in a chair in the corner. It is hard to make out details in the dark, but the figure is breathing slightly, and it appears to be tied up and blindfolded and gagged.

[3SecondCultist]

Stepping quietly behind Pepper, Coil keeps an eye out for the Blood Walkers. He leaves the nautical technicians to take over the matter of the doors, and his eyes scan the half-dark in search of anyone hanging about. "Nyryx should be distracting the others outside," he says to Locke in a quiet murmur. "I wouldn't be surprised if we're alone in here."

Moving forward, the grey-swathed man pauses when he sees the bound and gagged man. A hand comes up to stop the Islander in her tracks. Tilting his head slightly, Coil immediately tenses, his hand stealing to the hilt of the blade over his shoulder. Not drawing it yet, he steals forward towards the office, like a shadow loosed from a bow. As he does, he pauses mid-stride, recognizing Nyryx's laughter from the office.

The spy appears to exhale. Then he tries for the door.

Spoiler: OOC

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Assuming that he can spot the office from the area 8/9, let's got for a Prowl for Coil to try to get up to the office doors, taking the Devil's Bargain to have Nyryx in the office.

Prowl: (3d6)[3][5][5](13)

[dojango]

As Coil turns the handle and pushes the door open, it squeaks slightly. But he has it open enough to squeeze in. Inside the office, he sees a desk, a few bookcases, and a chair. On the desk are a few bottles, a burning oil lamp, a pistol... and the satchel. But there, in the corner, he also sees a cot. Nyryx and a man are sitting on it. He is facing away from Coil. Nyryx's eyes widen as the door opens, and then she pulls the man in for a long kiss...

Spoiler

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What's that noise? 4/6

[3SecondCultist]

A small cough echoes through the office space. With a hungry rasp, the sword is already out of its sheath, and pointed squarely at the man sitting on the cot. "Don't make any sudden moves. I don't wanna gut you, make for a bit of a mess, being honest. Now, Mr. Sharp, stand up. You and I are gonna go for a walk."

Earlier

"Now my dear, you must remember to time the opening correctly. Once you have earned the affections of Mr. Sharp, you must keep him occupied. The satchel I have supplied you with should be close enough in size and make to the object of our being here tonight for it to serve in a pinch." Jack presses the package into the prostitute's hands with a kindly smile as they turn onto the street near the edge of Silkshore. Looking ahead, he spots the edge of the warehouse.

"When your moment comes, you ought to take it. Remember, you are simply a street-walker out to make some money. In a threatening situation, somebody of your stature and station would be well within their rights to flee. I highly doubt that anyone will attempt to detain you."

Spoiler: OOC

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I'm going to take a Flashback to come up with this plan and have Nyryx bring along a fake satchel (it doesn't have to be an exact match, but something close enough). I'm not sure what the Stress for this is, but he'll take it. Then, he's going to get Sharp's attention to give Nyryx a chance to make the swap. I'm (hopefully) using Sway for this roll, trying to act confident and smarmy enough to maybe even get Sharp to attack.

Sway: (2d6)[1][1](2)

[dojango]

Several hours earlier...
"I like you, Jack. You're fun to be around. But if you want me to play your games, you're going to have to get me a present." Nyryx thinks for a moment, and then grins, "I know just the thing I want. I'll let you know later, if you're still alive."


As Coil's sword leaves the sheath, and he orders Sharp, the man is already rolling towards the desk. "Sodding hell!" he shouts. He grabs the pistol off the desk. Nyryx is surprised by his sudden move, and freezes up. Staring at Sharp's twitching gun. From outside, everyone can hear stirring men. "What was that?" one of them asks. "What's up, boss?"